IMPROVEMENT OF THE FORESTS OF THE SANDSTONE BELT. 193 



since been re-cleared. Beneath tliis loblolly pine there is very 

 little hardwood growth. South of Wadesboro the topography is 

 more rugged, and the soils are stifter, and along the crests and 

 upper slopes often shallow. Everywhere it has been badly eroded. 

 The short-leaf pine holds possession of the large extent of old 

 fields, with, in some places, a small proportion of loblolly pine inter- 

 mixed. The growth is open and stunted and in many localities 

 dying out. There is little underwood and a consequently poor 

 floor. To the eastward along the Pee Dee river, lie the light 

 loams of the long-leaf pine belt, on which at the present time in 

 Anson county, there are not over 3,000 acres of good standino- 

 pine. Tlie remainder of the long-leaf pine lands in this county, 

 as has been said, are covered, where the soils are dry, with small 

 broad-leaf trees, chiefly post oak and black-jack oak ; or where 

 the soils are moist with an open, spreading growth of the loblolly 

 pine. 



The greater part of the woodland of these counties, possibly as 

 much as two-thirds of it, is in young groves of pure pine. The 

 so-called "forest" pine has been nearly removed; some is yet 

 held in a few places. There are considerable areas of small-sized 

 short-leaf and loblolly pine timber suitable for milling purposes, 

 making sap lumber. Only a little of it has been cut, that chiefly 

 for making tobacco tierces. From the broad-leaf trees (the white 

 and post oaks mainly) hoops and st'aves and railway ties are made. 

 Some dogwood is gotten out for shuttle-blocks. There are few 

 wood-working industries, and these are chiefly saw mills, sup- 

 plying in part the local demand. 



IMPROVEMENT OF THE FORESTS OF THE SANDSTONE BELT. 



The moister soils are capable of producing loblolly pine suitable 

 for saw-logs, and medium-sized white and Spanish oaks. The 

 drier soils can grow rather small-sized trees of the short-leaf pine, 

 post oak and small-sized white oak. 



Protection from fires is needed ; browsing cattle do only slight 

 damage, except where there is a very large proportion of broad- 

 leaf trees. All young short-leaf pine appearing in lumbered 

 woods should be protected. 

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